What Is a Business Coach (And Why Do People Hire Them)? (1/5)

First things first: If you’re reading this expecting the usual “suPeRChArge YouR sUcCEsS!!” reasoning for business coaching, you’re in the wrong neighbourhood.

Wrong side of the internet entirely, actually.

Welcome to Notes on Power, where we’re not here for the status quo. Forget the beaten path, we prefer the real, unfiltered truth about business, leadership, and the plays of power. In these parts, “the way it’s always been done” is just the starting line for a better conversation, nah mean?

So let’s begin as we mean to go on, (bluntly):

Starting a business in 2025 isn’t rocket science

Whether you TikTok, design stuff, or trade your expertise for money. Once you’ve figured out where your skills sit, the steps to begin are the same:

Step 1 - Pick something you can do or create that people might actually want and pay for.

Step 2 - Stick a price on it.

Step 3 - Find yourself the ideal virtual soapbox

Step 4 - Announce it like you’re running for local council.

And Boom. Overnight. You’re a “business owner.” Yayyyy!

However:

“Having a business”

isn’t quite the same as

“Having a business that makes real money”

But you already know this.

And, let’s be clear: Whenever I talk about “real money” in business and the associated success stories, I do NOT mean the Instagram squillionaires going “bare foot on the beach with associated floppy hat” hawking the next “Seven Steps to Get Out of the Matrix and become a Millionaire in a Month” program.

No, I’m talking about the calm, creative and paid in full types who aren’t selling you PDFs.

These are people who are not only thriving—they’ve figured it out and have achieved what I like to call “Step Back Status.” This means they could step away from their business or industry for months at a time knowing that their clients will welcome them on their return and their reputation will remain sparkling.

They’re on airplane mode in the Maldives and somehow their business is still going strong. But you wouldn’t necessarily know this, because they probably haven’t posted about it on Insta.

So what’s happening here?

How are they managing to chill in 5-star bars in Bali seemingly with the secrets of the universe tucked under their sarong while you’re out here on your 12th shot of Espresso trying to figure out if this thing you’re creating is a Notion thing or an Airtable thing or does anyone even care?

It’s simple. 9.9 times out of 10, the Step Back Status contingent have “help.”

Like, BIG PICTURE help.

The honest, “jheeeze I feel seen”, sometimes maddening, always be stretching-you kind of help.

We’re not talking a VA who files your receipts.

It’s not the “Hey, I’ll run your socials” friend.

It’s also not your lovely aunt who encourages your every move (go auntie!)

…but someone trained in the art of (lovingly) grabbing you by the shoulders, shaking off your excuses, and helping you see where your power, potential and profit really live.

The Step Back Status squad have business coaches.

The kind of coaches who operate like a strategist, mentor, hype squad, and friendly neighbourhood backside-kicker when you need that the most.

Okay, but why do we need a coach for our business?

We’re all grown-ups, right? And if I’ve the skills and smarts to start a business, then surely I’ve everything I need to follow through and make something of it?

Yes, and…as well as being a grownup with a sharp mind, you’re also a human.

And humans are notorious for consistently wrestling with their doubts, self-sabotaging at every opportunity, and repeatedly missing the blind spots to ensure their climb to the top of their success mountain is as arduous as possible.

A business coach isn’t your babysitter. They’re your strategic sparring partner, your pace-setter, and the one person who’ll call you out on your crap while the rest of your world nods politely.

Having a coach means getting given smarter feedback, being asked bigger questions, and making faster breakthroughs. It’s choosing to win with eyes wide open.

And why do business coaches work?

- Firstly, they work because you respect them enough to listen.

As your coach I’m not your friend. I’m not your parent. You’re not trying to impress me (because trust me, I see through it), but you also don’t want to show up half-baked, because I will—lovingly—call you out. And nobody wants a Coach Kym callout.

- Next up, business coaches work because your money’s on the table.

We all know that Free advice will sit in a Google Folder until it’s fossilised. When you pay (the right) coach, you put skin in the game. And, no, energy exchange “barter coaching” doesn’t count. The minute you pay, you start playing at a different level.

- Thirdly, an experienced coach sees what you can’t.

While you’re thrashing about in the weeds, a good coach zooms out to 30,000ft where they objectively see blind spots, booby traps, cracks in your confidence, and opportunities you would never have noticed. They’ll show you what to act on and, more importantly, what to ignore, so you can finally stop chasing someone else’s playbook and start owning your own.

- Business coaching works because time is waayyy too expensive to waste on figuring it all out solo.

Yes, there’s a point you can certainly get yourself to, then you could continue your education at Faceplant Academy and “learn by doing” for the next three to five years. Or you could let someone who’s been there and done it kick you out of the safety of the sandbox and into action, saving you the heartbreak, the “oops, here comes another business pivot!”, and yes...nearly all of the “Why isn’t this working???” nights.

- Finally, business coaching works because—let’s be honest—left unsupervised, most of us will spiral, stall, and we will self-sabotage.

A business coach isn’t there to tie your shoelaces. They’re there to keep you moving, accountable, nudge you into making decisions, and keep you grounded so you don’t get sidetracked by every shiny object that falls in front of you.

Just like every great athlete has someone to sharpen their mind, strengthen their body and hone their sporting skills so that when they step out into the arena, they’re armed with everything they need to come out on top, a business coach helps their clients to sharpen their strategies, strengthen their business model and hone their communications so that when they step out into the market, they’re armed with everything they need to come out on top.

So wait, Coach Kym, does that mean everyone in business should have a coach?

Honestly, No. Some people are great at flying solo, and some may never feel right in a coaching dynamic, so it’s important that if you make a decision to work with a coach, it’s because you’re ready and you know it, and not because you’ve been pressured into it by anyone else. How do you know if you’re ready? Well, you need to be:

• Coachable (as in ready to be challenged, not just coddled).

• You need to be prepared to put your own time, money, energy, and ego on the line.

• And you need to be willing to make moves BEFORE you feel “ready” (because any coach worth their biscuits will not advise you to wait until the conditions are perfect…because the conditions are NEVER perfect).

So, if you’re not feeling coach-ready just yet, keep following this series so you’ll have all the information you need when you are.

Again, not everyone needs a coach, but I think everyone should understand what it means to stabilise their foundations in business and build on them with real strategy, power and resilience, which is what a coach can help you do.

However, if you’ve had enough of the trial and error, and feel ready to shift away from the thousands of “good advice” carousels on social media, and if you want someone who’s more “high-level strategist with a dry sense of humour who never stops asking for receipts” (yep…that’s me), you might be closer to a power move than you realise.

So the real next question is: